Not sure what to do in downtown Los Angeles? Stop by The Arts District in Downtown Los Angeles, one of the hottest neighborhoods in the DTLA area. From the area’s beginnings as Jean-Louis Vigne’s vineyard to an orchard growing mostly oranges and grapefruit, by the late 1800s it became an industrial center for railroads and manufacturing. Eventually, the railroads gave way to the trucking industry and industry moved to other L.A. County areas like Commerce in order to build larger buildings to accommodate their growing businesses.

In the 1970s, artists braved dangerous conditions and began to occupy the area’s dilapidated buildings, having been priced out of areas such as Venice and Hollywood. Eventually, they opened art galleries and began to develop these buildings themselves, thereby preserving a big part of L.A.’s industrial history.

The area again underwent another downturn in the 1990s before being saved by Joel Bloom and his supporters, who officially renamed the area the “Arts District.” Today, it is home to many creatives, including those in green technology, architecture and entertainment. Read on for a visual walking tour of this burgeoning urban oasis.

El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument is located near the site of the early Los Angeles pueblo, where 44 settlers of Native American, African and European heritage journeyed more than a thousand miles across the desert from present-day northern Mexico and established a farming community in September 1781. Today, as a department of the City of Los Angeles, El Pueblo is a living museum that attracts more than 2 million visitors to the oldest district in L.A. Read on and discover the cultural attractions of El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument.

There's a reason why one of Downtown L.A.'s most vibrant districts is called the Historic Core. Located between Hill and Main Streets and 1st and 9th Streets, this eclectic neighborhood showcases many of the things that originally put Los Angeles on the world stage, including lovely parks, ornate movie palaces and other architectural marvels. It's also where visitors can experience places that have helped contribute to L.A.'s more contemporary reputation as a food and arts destination. With no shortage of beautiful buildings, cutting-edge art galleries, trendy bars and gourmet restaurants, the Historic Core is where L.A.'s golden era meets modern times.

Located just south of Downtown Los Angeles, Exposition Park is home to a world-class collection of museums, sports facilities and recreational areas. Exposition Park also offers diverse cultural, entertainment and educational activities. The 160-acre site was founded as Agricultural Park in 1872 and subsequently renamed Exposition Park in 1910. The park has since become one of L.A.’s premier cultural and special event destinations.

With roots dating to the 1880s, Little Tokyo is a major cultural and civic center for Japanese Americans living in Southern California. Little Tokyo is a Downtown L.A. area of about five city blocks, bounded on the west by Los Angeles Street, on the east by Alameda Street, on the south by 3rd Street, and on the north by 1st Street, including the block north of 1st and west of Alameda. One of only three official Japantowns in the United States, Little Tokyo is the home of the annual Nisei Week festival, and was declared a National Historic Landmark District in 1995. From museums to restaurants and bars, read on for a walking tour of Little Tokyo, one of L.A.’s most historic and popular multicultural neighborhoods.

Flanked by Elysian Park, Elysian Valley, Silver Lake and Chinatown, Echo Park is a historic and diverse neighborhood where you’ll find everything from Dodger Stadium, the home of our beloved Los Angeles Dodgers, to Echo Park Lake, which reopened recently after a $45-million renovation. Locals and visitors alike enjoy paddle-boating around the lake, while the surrounding area continues to experience a retail, recreation and restaurant renaissance. Read on to find out more about Echo Park hidden gems, and discover an entirely different side of the neighborhood.